Skimming-regulator for ice-machines.



No. 729,349. g p p UNITED STATES PATENT Patented May 26, 1903.

OFFICE.

ARTHUR H. HUTCHINSON, OF WAYNESBORO, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGN OR TO FRICK COMPANY, OF WAYNESBORO, PENNSYLVANIA,-A CORPORATION.

SKIIMMING-REGULATORV FOR: ICE-MACHINES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 729,349, dated May 26, 1903.

Application filed October 25, 1902. Serial No. 128,783. (No model.)

T0 aZZ whom it mag concern.-

Be it known that I, ARTHUR H. HUTCHIN- SON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Waynesboro, in the county of Franklin and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Skimming- Regulators for Ice-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

My said invention relates to an improved construction of apparatus for regulating the skimming of the reboiler of an ice-machine; and it consists in a novel construction and arrangement of parts whereby aperfectly-operating apparatus of the character is provided and one which will be inexpensive to construct and maintain in repair, all as will be hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

Certain features of construction are'notbroadly claimed herein, being made the subject-matter of other claims in my application, Serial No. 127,892, filed October 18, 1902.

Referring'to the accompanying drawings;

which are made a part hereof, and on which similar reference characters indicate similar parts, Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view of that portion of an ice-making plant directly connected with the reboiler and controlled by the operation of my said invention; Fig. 2, a

view, on an enlarged scale, of that part of the apparatus constituting my present invention,

partly in front elevation and partly in vertical section; and Fig. 3, a view showing a modification of the construction. v

The general arrangement of the ice-makin g apparatus is well known and needs only a general description. The. steam from any source enters the condenser 1, is condensed and passes from there to the reboiler 2, where it is violently boiled in the well-known manner. By this means the oil, grease, and other impurities are thrown to the surface and the air and foreign gases expelled from the water. The purified water passes from said reboiler through the pipe 3 to the cooling-coil 4, from there to the filterer 5, and from thence, through the pipe 6, to the storage-tank 7. The remain full at all times, and thus prevent the accumulation of air or other gases therein.

In the skimming-regulator apparatus proper A represents a bowl or receptacle formed with a central aperture in its bottom, an d mounted pipes to slide on a tubular stem A. Awide flange a is formed around the central opening and a series of apertures a are formed in said sisting of a central tubular portion and radial arms extending therefrom to the side of said bowl.- The stem A is mounted in said tubular portion and in the perforation in the bottom of the bowl, so as to be held therein by friction to move therewith. On the lower end of said stemare mounted radially-extend- .ing arms 04 each of which projects to between a pair of set-screws 11 and 12, mounted on op-. posite sides'of the bowl in inwardly-projecting lugs 13 and 14, arranged in diiferent vertical planes on the interior surface of a bowlshaped top 15 to the discharge-pipe 16. In pipe 6 is provided a valve having a stem 7, on which is rigidly mounted a leverS, which is connected at one end to the top of bowl A by a connecting link 9 and bolt 10, pivoted togetheiyand at the'other end has an adjustable weight 10 mounted thereon.

In operation when the water rises in the reboilerslightly above the level of theskimholes-20 the skimmings, consisting of grease and other impurities upon the surface of the water, will runthrough said skim-holes into the skim-dish 21 (see Fig. 1) and through pipe22 into bowl A. When a sufficient quantity of said skimmings has passed into said bowl to overbalance the weight w on the lever 8, said bowl will drop downwardly, stem A falling with it until the arms or strike the lower set-screws 12. The movement of said stem is then arrested, but the bowl continues to slide downwardly upon said stein until the apertures a therein pass within said bowl and are thus uncovered, permitting the contents of said bowl to be discharged into the receptacle 15 and through pipe 16 to the sewer or other place provided. As soon as the bowl is emptied sufficiently so that the weight to will overbalance it said weight will operate to raise said bowl and the stem A with it until the arms a strike the set-screws 11, whenthe upward movement of said stem will be arrested and the bowl will continue to move upwardly until the apertures a are again covered by the flange a and the discharge from said bowl stopped. It will thus be seen that from the time the bowl starts downwardly until the arms (I contact with the set-screws 12 the contents of said bowl are not permitted to discharge, while the skimmings may continue to run into 'it. The valve in pipe 6 is opened through the connection between its stem. 7 and lever 8 by said downward movement of the bowl. After the contents of the bowl have been discharged sufficiently to permit the bowl to move its contents continue to discharge from the time it starts until the arms a strike set-screws 11. The upward movement of the bowl closes the valve in pipe 6, as will be readily understood. By this arrangement the period of time which said valve is left open may be lengthened or shortened as desired, and the frequency of the skimming operation regulated by adjusting said set-screws to secure the desired result. By the proper adjustment of weight w the quantity of skimmings required to operate the device may be regulated.

In Fig. 3 I have shown a piston-valve in pipe (5, and have shown lever 8 mounted on a pivot 26 at one side of said valve. Its end opposite weight w is connected to the stem 25 of said piston-valve and the bowlA, as shown. The operation will be readily understood. Other modifications in the arrangement and form of the parts may be made without departing from my said invention.

Having thus fully described my said invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A skimming-regulator for a reboiler of an ice-machine, comprising an overflow-pipe from said reboiler, a pipe leading from said reboiler, a valve in said pipe, a receptacle mounted to receive the overflow on one end of a lever connected with the stem of said valve, a weight upon the other end of said lever, said receptacle having a central opening in its bottom with a hollow stem mounted therein to normally move therewith, said stem formed with perforations normally covered by a part of the receptacle, projecting arms on the lower end of said stem, and adjustable stops for limiting the movement of said arms, substantially as set forth.

2. A skimming-regulator for the reboiler of an ice-machine comprising a receptacle mounted on the stem of the valve in the pipe leading from said reboiler and having a hollow stem mounted in a perforation in its bottom and held therein by frictional contact, said stem having perforations arranged to be normally covered by a part of said receptacle, arms projecting out from said stem and adjustable stops arranged to contact with said arms, substantially as set forth.

3. A skimming-regulator for the reboiler of an ice-machine comprising a receptacle supported on one end of a lever which is mounted on the stem of the valve in the pipe leading from said reboiler, an overflow-pipe leading from said reboiler to said receptacle, a hollow stem mounted in a central perforation in said receptacle to slide therein but normally supported by frictional contact therewith, said stem having perforations normally covered by a part of said receptacle, projecting parts on said stem, and adjustable contact-points arranged to limit the movement of said parts, substantially as set forth.

4. A skimming-regulator for the reboiler of an ice-machine comprising the pipe leading from said reboiler, a valve therein, a lever connected rigidly with the stem of said valve, a weight on one end of said lever, and a receptacle on the other end arranged to receive the skimmings and operate said valve when its contents reach a certain quantity, substantially as set forth.

5. A skimming-regulator for the reboiler of an ice-machine comprising a receptacle arranged to receive an overflow from said reboiler and connected to a controlling-valve, means forpermittin g a vertical movement of said receptacle to operate said valve, a discharge-pipe connected with said receptacle to have a limited movement therewith and open and close discharge-openings therein at certain points, and means for adjusting the parts to operate at the points desired.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal, at \Vaynesboro, Pennsylvania, this 10th day of September, A. D. 1902.

ARTHUR ll. IlUlCIllNSON. [1. s] \Vitnesses:

ALF. N. RUSSELL, GEO. II. RUSSELL. 

